Large Capitol Marble Replica

The United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., is among the most architecturally impressive and symbolically important buildings in the world. It has housed the meeting chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives for more than two centuries. Begun in 1793, the Capitol has been built, burnt, rebuilt, extended, and restored; today, it stands as a monument not only to its builders but also to the American people and their government.

The marble used for this sculpture was taken from the wing occupied by the House of Representatives. Every member of the House—more than 9,000— has trod the east front steps, originally installed between 1863 and 1865, leaving footprints of history. Having become dangerously worn and uneven, the steps were removed in 1995; and the U.S. Capitol Historical Society has been permitted to use a portion of the removed marble, which is crushed to a fine powder and combined with resin, to create this memento.